說英文時若是用中文方式思考,不自覺放進贅字,反而讓語意模糊不清。試著避開這6個贅字,讓你的英文簡潔易懂,說得更漂亮!
###找不到字的時候,很多人就會硬塞一個thing進來。
英文表達著重明確,例如:
我要告訴你的事很重要。
(冗贅)The thing I’d like to tell you is important.
(簡單)What I’d like to tell you is important.
我有很多工作要做。
(清楚)I have a lot of work to do.
(模糊)I have to do many things.
###There
沒有主詞的時候,there這個字經常會被想起。there用多了會讓語氣很弱。例如:
沒有人在辦公室。
(弱)There was no one in the office.
(強) No one was in the office.
###You
很多時候我們用「你」並不是指說話的對方,而是泛稱,這時用「我」會更有力,與對方拉近距離。例:
我們的老闆人很好,常常給我們建議。
(不好)Our boss is nice. She always gave you advice.
(好)Our boss is nice. She always gave us advice.
###When
兩件事同時發生的時候,自然就想到要用when。但這個字經常是多餘或錯誤的。
她到美國時,去拜訪一位老朋友。
(不好)When she went to the U.S., she visited an old friend.
went to是一個短暫動作,這是一種很不自然的表達。
(好)She went to the U.S. and visited an old friend.
###Really
這個字基本上沒有多大作用。例如:
要在大家面前演講,他真的很緊張。
(不好)He was really nervous about speaking in public.
直接把really去掉,改成:
(正常)He was nervous about speaking in public.
如果要表現出程度差異:
(強)He was panicky about speaking in public. 或 Public speaking scared him.
###Because
用多了because讓人覺得你講話很多藉口。去掉它,改用 and和一更有行動力的字眼。例如:
我累了,想離開。
(弱)I want to leave because I am tired.
(強)I'm tired and want to leave.
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